French politics, Emmanuel Macron, Sebastien Lecornu, French Prime Minister, political crisis, budget impasse, French parliament, National Rally, Jordan Bardella, hung parliament, austerity measures

Lecornu accepted his reappointment "out of duty" according to his message on social platform X.

French President Emmanuel Macron has reappointed Sebastien Lecornu as prime minister on Friday, merely four days following Lecornu's resignation from the same position.

Despite hopes from both allies and opposition for new leadership to resolve the months-long impasse over austerity budget measures, Macron decided to reinstate the 39-year-old Lecornu.

The Elysee Palace announced: "The president of the republic has nominated Mr Sebastien Lecornu as prime minister and has tasked him with forming a government."

France has been experiencing political gridlock since Macron's miscalculated decision to call snap elections last year. Rather than strengthening his position, the elections resulted in a hung parliament and increased representation for far-right parties.

Following the announcement from the Elysee, Lecornu stated on X that he had accepted the position "out of duty" and emphasized the need to "end the political crisis."

Lecornu committed to doing "everything possible" to secure a budget for France before year-end, noting that restoring public finances remains "a priority for our future."

President Macron, facing the most severe domestic crisis since beginning his presidency in 2017, has not yet addressed the public regarding this decision.

The reappointment has provoked strong reactions from opposition leaders. Jordan Bardella, the National Rally party leader, dismissed it as a "bad joke" and promised immediate action to vote out the new cabinet.

A hard-left spokesperson characterized Lecornu's return as a significant insult to French citizens.

The Socialist party, which holds swing votes in parliament, stated they had "no deal" with Lecornu and would remove his government unless he agreed to suspend the 2023 pension reform that raised the retirement age from 62 to 64.

The French parliament has previously ousted Lecornu's two predecessors during disputes over budget-cutting initiatives.

After resigning, Lecornu, a loyal Macron supporter and former defense minister, agreed to remain in position for two additional days to consult with all political parties.

On Wednesday, he told French television that he believed a revised 2026 draft budget could be presented by Monday, meeting the year-end approval deadline.

However, it remains unclear if this would require announcing a new cabinet lineup before the weekend concludes.

On Friday, Lecornu warned that anyone joining his government "must commit to setting aside presidential ambitions" for the 2027 elections.

His initial ministerial list from Sunday faced criticism for insufficient departure from past administrations, prompting his Wednesday suggestion to include technocrats in the cabinet.

The worsening crisis has led even former allies to criticize the president.

In an unprecedented move, former prime minister Edouard Philippe, a potential candidate in the next presidential election, suggested earlier this week that Macron should resign after securing budget approval.

However, Macron has consistently maintained his intention to complete his term.

The far-right National Rally views the current situation as its best opportunity yet to gain power in the 2027 presidential election, as Macron will have reached his two-term limit.

While the party's three-time presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has been disqualified following a corruption conviction, her 30-year-old deputy Jordan Bardella could potentially take her place as a candidate.